Teen pleads guilty to adult charges in pool-hall killing

Erik L. Thompson Jr. was 14 years old when he shot a young man to death in a Whitehall pool hall.

Now 17, he's pleaded guilty to charges that could keep him in adult prison until he's 42.

Thompson's case was moved to Franklin County Common Pleas Court after a judge determined he was unlikely to respond to treatment in the juvenile court system. A psychologist had evaluated Thompson and said he had a "misanthropic attitude." That means he hates or distrusts people.

On Friday, he pleaded guilty before Common Pleas Judge Stephen L. McIntosh to one count of voluntary manslaughter, a first-degree felony, and felonious assault, a second-degree felony. Each was accompanied by a mandatory three-year prison sentence for using a gun in the crimes. That means he's guaranteed to spend at least six years in prison.

The gun penalties are in addition to the three to 11 years he faces for voluntary manslaughter and two to eight years for felonious assault. The total range is between nine and 25 years.

Eleven other charges, including murder counts, were dismissed.

McIntosh scheduled sentencing for Sept. 6.

Thompson, dressed in a white shirt and tan pants, gave polite, short answers when McIntosh asked whether he understood what he was doing by pleading guilty. He said he did.

Prosecutors said Thompson entered Players Family Billiards, 4380 E. Main St., sometime overnight on Jan. 12-13, 2015. The Ohio State-Oregon national championship game was wrapping up.

A fight broke out between two groups about 12:20 a.m. Thompson shot Jaurice A. Blakely, 18, in the chest and James Reichgott, then 37, in the leg. Blakely died; Reichgott recovered from his wound.

Thompson also went outside and fired at two people in a car and one person running across the street. He missed all three.